Fastener for neck-yokes.



PATENTEDV SEPT. 22, wos.v 4 A. L. RE1NKB. FASTENER FOR NECK YOKES. lAPPLIo'ATIoN, Hmm nu 1s. 190s. 1ro MODEL. V

iro. rectos.

f UNITED Y Siinfres` iIvatented September 22, 190.3.l *L

PATENT FFICE.

AUGUST L. REINK-E, OF LYONS, IOWA.

'l SPECIFICATION forming 'part of Letters Patent No. 739,508, datedSeptember 22, 1903. Application filed lllay 1,6, 1903. Serial110.1511165. (No model.) i

l'o all whom it may concern,.- V

Be it known that I, AUGUST L. REINKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lyons,

in the county of Clinton and State of Iowa,Y

the tongue or pole of a vehicle by the forward movement of the team orfrom4 other causes.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, andefficient device of this character which maybe easily and quicklyattached to the ordinary polo or tongue of a Aas vehicle and by means ofwhich the neck-yoke is prevented from becoming detached and the tonguefalling to the ground should the traces break and the team attempt torun away.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, itbeing understood that various changes in form, proportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departingfrom thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of aneck-yoke and pole constructed in accordance with my invention, showingthe same applied to a team. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same,showing in dotted lines the locking-levers in the elevated position.Fig. 3 is a detail perspective ,view of the supporting-bracketsdetached.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings. A 1

1 designates the pole or tongue ofran ordinary two-horse vehicle, 2 theneck-yoke, and 3 the ring connected to the yyoke and which engages thepole or tongue in the usual manner. A guard iron or strap 4 is securedto the pole or tongue, having its intermediate rounded portionprojecting beyond the tip of the pole, so las to form a ring or eye 5,to which the neck-yoke strap may be attached or for connection of a leadhorse, the lower leg of vthestrap being bent to form-a stop or holdback6,'adapted to limit the rearward movement of the neck-yoke ring.

Secured to the opposite sides of the tongue orpole and at a pointadjacent the tip thereof are supportingbrackets '7, each preferablyformed vof a single piece of metal or other suitable material providedwith inwardly-eX- tending flanges 8 and` 9,'the ends of which areserrated, as shown, to form teeth 10, adapted to be driven in the tongueand support the bracket in position thereon.

. The opposite endsof the sup portin g-bracketv withdownwardly-extending hooks 15, adapted Yto engage the ring-3 and preventthe neckyoke from becoming detached from the-tongue AVshould the tracesbreakv and the team attempt toV run away. 'By having the rear ends ofthe levers 14 pivote'd within the supportingbrackets said levers arefree to move upwardly in a vertical plane to permit the neckyoke ring 3being passed over the hooked ends thereof and in engagement with thestop 6, the levers'dropping by gravity upon being released, lcausing thehooks 15 to extend below the bottom of the tongue and in position toengage the ring 3 in case of any forward movement thereof.

Y The cut-away portions 11 of the supportingbrackets 7 permit the levers14 to swing freely on the pin or bolt 12, the upward movement thereofbeing limited by the flange 8 and the downward movement by the flange 9.

In operation when it is desired to attach the neck-yoke to the tongue'or polethe levers 14 are lifted until the hooks 15-lie parallel to andin contact with the sides of the pole, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.2 lof, thevdrawings, in which positionv the neck-yoke ring 3 may beslipped over the'end of the tongue l and in contact with the stop 6, thehooks upon being released automatically returning to their normalposition 'and preventing the ring from becoming detached and the tonguefalling to the ground should the traces break and the teaml attempt torun away.

ICO

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided anextremely simple and inexpensive device adapted to guard againstaccident arising from the neck-yoke ring' working loose or otherwisebecoming aeciden tally detached from the end of the tongue of a wagon orother vehicle, thereby preventing the tongue from dropping to the groundand wrecking' or otherwise damaging the vehicle.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. A neck-yoke-attaching device comprising, a pair ofsupporting-brackets adapted to be secured to the opposite sides of thevehicle-tongue, and locking-levers pivoted within the brackets andadapted to engage the neckyoke ring.

2. A neck-yoke-attaching device comprising, brackets for seeurement tothe opposite sides of the vehicle-tongue, locking-levers pivoted withinthe brackets and adapted to en gage the neck-yoke ring and means carriedby the brackets for limiting' the upward and downward movement of thelevers.

A neek-yoke-attaching' device comprising, a pair of brackets providedwith inwardlyextending flanges adapted to be secured to the oppositesides of the vehicle-tongue, and locking-levers pivotcd within thebrackets and adapted to engage the neck-yoke ring.

4. A neek-yoke-attaehing device comprising, brackets for securement tothe opposite sides of the vehicle-tongue, said brackets being providedwith inwardly-extending flanges having terminal teeth or spurs, andlockinglevers pivoted within the brackets and having their free endsprovided with downwardly and rearwardly extending hooks adapted toengage the neck-yoke rin';

5. A neck-yoke-attaching device comprising, brackets for seeurement tothe opposite sides of the vehicle-tongue, said brackets being providedwith inwardly-extending flanges provided with oppositely-disposedopenings or recesses, locking-levers pivoted within the brackets andprovided with downwardly and inwardly extending' terminal hooks adaptedto engage the neck-yoke ring, the flan ges on the brackets forming astop to'limit the up ward and downward movement of the pivoied levers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST L. REINKE.

lVitnesses:

AUGUST Koni-IN, H. M. LEIMBAC-H.

